First Patient Enrolled in PNOC035 Clinical Trial for Recurrent ATRT, Major Milestone in Pediatric Brain Tumor Research

First Patient Enrolled in PNOC035 Clinical Trial for Recurrent ATRT, Major Milestone in Pediatric Brain Tumor Research

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, August 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- PNOC Foundation, the international fundraising partner for the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC), celebrates the launch of PNOC035, a groundbreaking clinical trial for children, adolescents, and young adults with recurrent or progressive atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT). The milestone launch of this new research platform, designed to accelerate the discovery and evaluation of promising therapies for one of the most aggressive pediatric brain tumors, represents years of collaboration, dedication, and shared commitment among researchers, clinicians, families, industry partners, and supporters.

WHAT IS THE PNOC035 CLINICAL TRIAL FOR RECURRENT ATRT?
Developed by the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) ATRT Working Group, PNOC035 is a platform clinical trial designed to evaluate novel therapies and combination strategies for patients whose ATRT has returned or progressed after initial treatment. Open to eligible patients aged 1 to 39, the first patient enrollment this past week at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital represents a significant step forward in PNOC’s mission to rapidly translate scientific discoveries into new treatment options for children facing devastating diagnoses. For children with recurrent ATRT, until now, available treatment options were extremely limited.

"Children with recurrent ATRT urgently need new options," said PNOC Principal Investigator Dr. Ashley Margol, who leads the PNOC ATRT Working Group. "The opening of PNOC035 and enrollment of the first patient mean we can finally meet that need with a trial designed not just to test a single therapy, but to keep developing new treatments as our understanding of ATRT grows. This study gives us all hope."

HOW IS PNOC035 DIFFERENT FROM A TRADITIONAL PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR CLINICAL TRIAL?
Unlike traditional clinical trials that evaluate one therapy at a time, PNOC035 uses a highly innovative adaptive platform design that allows researchers to investigate multiple promising therapies within a shared clinical trial infrastructure. This approach enables the study to evolve alongside scientific discoveries, incorporating new treatment strategies as they emerge from laboratory research and clinical experience.

By leveraging advances in the evolving understanding of ATRT biology and the global infrastructure of PNOC, the trial will evaluate promising novel therapies and combinations while allowing researchers to more efficiently assess safety, effectiveness, and potential benefit for patients. The opening of PNOC035 builds on PNOC’s collaborative model, which brings together more than 300 researchers across 43 children’s hospitals on six continents to accelerate pediatric brain tumor research. Since its founding, PNOC has launched more than 30 clinical trials and contributed to two FDA-approved therapies for pediatric brain tumors.

“The first patient enrollment in PNOC035 is a powerful reminder that progress begins with collaboration and the courage of families who participate in research,” said PNOC Foundation co-founder Bruce Campbell. “Fueled by the generosity of donors and partners, PNOC is driving discoveries that will help us reach a future where we lose no child to ATRT or any other brain cancers.”

Additional PNOC institutions are expected to open enrollment for PNOC035 in the coming months.

ABOUT PNOC FOUNDATION:
PNOC Foundation is a platinum-rated non-profit dedicated to supporting advancements in childhood brain cancer research. PNOC Foundation’s vision is to lose no child to brain cancer, and to improve the quality of life for those fighting and surviving pediatric brain cancer. Since its inception in 2012, PNOC has pushed beyond older paradigms and historic trial designs, expanding nationally and globally to accelerate clinical trial completion and find cures faster. Through their cooperative open-source network, PNOC is fostering worldwide collaboration with the world’s leading pediatric brain tumor specialists. PNOC has grown from a 7-member group along the West Coast to a global consortium with 43 participating sites, funded largely by philanthropy.

Visit https://www.pnocfoundation.org/ for more information.

Adam Eversole
PNOC Foundation
+1 513 673-1170
adam@pnocfoundation.org
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